Combined envelop and letter-sheet.



PATE'NTED DEC. 10, 1907.

G. A. W. WESTHOLM. COMBINED ENVELOP AND LETTER SHEET.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1907.

23 vmwntoz uS N CARL A. W. WESTHOLM,

or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED ENVELOP AND LETTER-SHEET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907'.

Application filed March 21, 1907- Serial No. 363,629.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL A. WV. ITESP HOLM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Envelops and Let-- ter-Sheets, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a combined envelop and letter sheet, in which the blank is of peculiar formation to permit it after being written upon to be folded to present an en velop of ordinary form.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a combined envelop and letter sheet in which the stamp used for mail ing purposes is utilized as the sealing element.

The invention will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view showing the complete invention folded and ready for mailing, Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the blank in folded form previous to the final sealing, Fig. 3 is a view of the rear face of the blank form ing the combined letter sheet and envelop.

Referring to the drawings, my improved combined letter blank and envelop comprises a blank 1 of approximately rectangular outline and, of course, of any desired dimensions. A

The blank is marked or otherwise indicated for folding along the longitudinal median line 2 to provide sheets 3 and 4', and the blank is further indicated for folding along transverse lines 5 and 6, which are equally spaced from each other and from the proximate edges of the blank. The blank as thus indicated for folding provides six equal sec tions, and when folded presents an envelop having a length and width equal to one of the sections.

Immediately adjacent the juncture of the lower edge and free side edge of one of the sections the blank is formed with a projecting tab or tongue 7, the lower edge 8 of which is arranged on a plane above the relatively lower edge of the blank, while the upper edge 9 extends from the free end of the tab in parallel relation to the lower edge for a short distance and then curves upwardly at 10 into coincidence with the proximate side edge of the blank. The section of the blank immediately above the section form of the tab is provided adjacent its free side edge and also adjacent the relatively upper edge of the section with a slit 11, which slit is spaced from the free edge of the section a distance less than the length of the tab 7', and in length is greater than the width of the tab adjacent its free end.

With the blank thus constructed the face surface thereof is inscribed as desired by the sender, after which the blank is folded along the median line 2 to dispose the inscribed surfaces of the sections 3 and 4 in contact. After folding along the line 2 the section above the line 5 is folded down upon the next lowermost section, and the section below line 6 is folded upward in rear of the section just described. In this position the section of the blank carrying the slit 11 appears as the face section of the folded article, and while the section bearing the tab 7 appears as the rear section.

In sealing the envelop the tab 7 is folded over onto the section bearing the slit 11, or the face section with its free end inserted in the slit, after which a postage stamp, as 12, is applied to overlie the slit and bear upon the face section and upon the tab. The cut out portion 8 of the tab forms a very material part of the invention in this use, as thereby a portion of the face section of the envelop is exposed above the tab to which exposed portion the stamp is secured. The stamp thus secures the sealing tab in place and effectually seals the structure against unauthorized opening. Owing to the. cutaway portion 8 of the tab the stamp is fixed to the face section of the envelop on both sides of the slit, and also to the tab, thereby. more firmly sealing the parts in place than would be otherwise possible.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

A combined envelop and letter sheet comprising a blank of rectangular outline arranged for folding to provide a plurality of sections, one of the sections bemg formed with a tab and the adjacent section being engage the. section carrying the slit on both formed with a slit to receive the end of the sides of the latter and also engage the tab. 10 tab, said tab being cutaway on its lower edge e In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature to expose a portion of the section bearing the in presence of two witnesses.

5 slit, said combined envelop and letter sheet CARL A. W. WESTHOLM.

being adapted to receive a sealing strip to be Witnesses: secured to the section formed with a slit and D. F. BAYLEss,

to the tab, whereby the sealing strip may GEO. C. BOYLAND. 

